Nurfajriah Nurfajriah, Mahalul Azam, Sofwan Indarjo

Factors Associated with the Incidence of Anemia among Pregnant Women in Indonesia (IFLS 5 Secondary Data Analysis)

Introduction

Factors associated with the incidence of anemia among pregnant women in indonesia (ifls 5 secondary data analysis). Anemia in Indonesian pregnant women: IFLS 5 study reveals factors like maternal education, nutrition, gestational age, iron, and protein intake are strongly associated. Find out more.

Abstract

Anemia is a severe public health problem with the incidence of anemia among pregnant women in Indonesia at 46.2% based on data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) 5. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with the incidence of anemia among pregnant women in Indonesia. The cross-sectional design of the study was using secondary data from IFLS 5 which was conducted from September 2014 to March 2015 on 292 pregnant women out of 53,160 respondents based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Chi-square analysis showed that maternal age, maternal occupation, smoking habit, food frequency, green vegetable consumption, vitamin C consumption, socioeconomic status and health service distance were not associated with the incidence of anemia among pregnant women in Indonesia. Whereas maternal education (p=0.006), nutritional status (p=0.003), gestational age (p=0.001), iron consumption (p=0.001), ANC examination (p=0.006) and protein consumption (p=0.012) were associated with the incidence of anemia among pregnant women in Indonesia. Multivariate analysis with multiple logistic regression showed maternal education (p=0.014), nutritional status (p=<0.001), gestational age (p=0.002), iron consumption (p=0.008) and protein consumption (p=0.038) were associated with the incidence of anemia among pregnant women in Indonesia. Gestational age was the most dominant variable associated with the incidence of anemia among pregnant women after controlling for maternal education, nutritional status, iron consumption and protein consumption (OR=3.029; 95% CI=1.520-6.038).

Review

This study addresses a critical public health concern, investigating factors associated with anemia among pregnant women in Indonesia, a region where the incidence rate is notably high at 46.2%. Utilizing secondary data from the well-regarded Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS 5), the authors employed a cross-sectional design to analyze data from 292 pregnant women. The abstract clearly outlines both associated and non-associated factors, identifying maternal education, nutritional status, gestational age, iron consumption, ANC examination, and protein consumption as significant predictors of anemia. Notably, gestational age emerged as the most dominant variable in the multivariate analysis, underscoring its pivotal role. A significant strength of this research lies in its use of the IFLS 5 dataset, providing a robust and nationally representative foundation for the analysis, which enhances the generalizability of its findings to the Indonesian context. The application of both chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analysis is appropriate, allowing for a comprehensive examination of associations and the identification of independent predictors. The clear delineation of factors that were, and were not, associated with anemia contributes valuable insights into the complexity of the issue. While the overall IFLS 5 dataset is extensive, the subset of 292 pregnant women, though carefully selected, represents a relatively specific sample which might influence the power to detect all potential associations for less prevalent factors. The findings of this study offer crucial implications for targeted public health interventions aimed at reducing anemia among pregnant women in Indonesia. Emphasizing improved maternal education, enhancing nutritional support including iron and protein intake, promoting consistent antenatal care (ANC) examinations, and particularly focusing on women at different gestational ages, appears paramount. While valuable, it is important to acknowledge the inherent limitations of a cross-sectional, secondary data analysis, which restricts the ability to infer causality and relies on pre-defined variables. Future research could benefit from longitudinal studies to establish causal pathways and explore the mechanisms by which gestational age exerts such a dominant influence, and potentially delve deeper into specific aspects of nutritional status.

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